Republican Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) of Kansas pushed back against President Donald Trump’s threat to bar Bombardier Inc. (OTC:BDRBF) jets from the U.S. market, saying the Canadian aircraft maker’s Wichita operations should “continue to grow and create American jobs.”
Moran Defends Bombardier’s Kansas Jobs Footprint
“This afternoon, I reached out to the Trump administration to make certain the President is aware of the significant contributions of Bombardier to Kansas,” Moran said in an X post on Monday. He said the company supports “more than a thousand employees” in Wichita and contributes to U.S. defense and aerospace capabilities.
Moran added that he would work to ensure Bombardier’s manufacturing operations “not only remain in Kansas but continue to grow and create American jobs.” His intervention came as Trump intensified his trade confrontation with Canada and targeted the private-jet maker directly.
Trump Escalates Bombardier Fight Over Gulfstream
Trump wrote Monday, “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” accusing Canada of blocking General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE:GD)-owned Gulfstream Aerospace while Bombardier relies heavily on American buyers. “If they want our Market, they must build here,” Trump added.
The threat revives an earlier dispute in which Trump threatened to decertify Bombardier jets and impose 50% tariffs on Canadian-made aircraft unless Canada certified several Gulfstream models, which were eventually certified.
Bombardier already has a substantial U.S. footprint. Reuters reported the company employs about 3,500 people nationwide, including roughly 1,500 in Kansas. Bombardier notes that it works with about 2,800 suppliers across 47 states, and says it spends more than $2.5 billion annually with U.S. suppliers.
Bombardier said its American operations support “tens of thousands of US jobs” through manufacturing, service facilities and suppliers. “Our plan is to continue to invest in our people, our customers and the communities in which we operate across the country,” the company said.
Trade War Raises Stakes For Kansas
The dispute comes as U.S.-Canada trade tensions deepen. Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on roughly $20 billion of American goods took effect Tuesday after trade talks collapsed and Washington imposed 50% tariffs on a similar value of Canadian imports.
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